Leh police registers FIR over deepfake video of Ladakh DGP; search for culprits underway

Two days after the Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check confirmed that a video of the Ladakh Director General of Police (DGP) was fake, Leh Police on Thursday formally registered an FIR to identify and arrest those behind its circulation.

"It has come to the notice of District Police Leh that a deepfake (digitally morphed) video is being circulated on the social media platform X. In this video, false statements are attributed to the DGP, UT Ladakh," a statement issued by the police said.

"The video has been digitally manipulated using deepfake AI with malicious intent and has the potential to disturb peace and harmony in the region. Accordingly, FIR No. 148 has been registered at Police Station Leh under Sections 353(2) and 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Sections 66C and 66D of the IT Act, 2000," the statement from the Cyber Unit of Leh District Police read.

Police said that further investigation is underway. "District Police Leh appeals to the public to always verify the content before sharing such videos. Such misinformation will be strictly dealt with under the law. If any individual comes across such misleading posts or videos, they are requested to immediately inform Cyber Cell Leh," it added.

PIB confirms video as deepfake

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) clarified that the video, in which DGP SD Singh Jamwal was purportedly seen claiming that climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested on the defence minister's instructions, was a deepfake.

The video, which went viral on social media, falsely depicted the DGP saying that Wangchuk had been arrested under government pressure. On September 30, the PIB's Fact Check Unit confirmed that the video was digitally altered and fabricated with malicious intent.

In the manipulated clip, Jamwal is heard saying, "We know that the people of Ladakh were not granted their rights. We have found no evidence against Sonam Wangchuk. We had to take this action under pressure from the Indian defence minister. For this, we apologise to the people of Kashmir."

Arrest of Sonam Wangchuk

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested on September 26 under the National Security Act (NSA), following the September 24 violence in Leh that left four people dead and nearly 100 others injured.

Police said Wangchuk's allegedly provocative speeches, in which he referred to the Nepal uprising, incited unrest that eventually turned violent. He was taken into custody by a police party led by DGP SD Singh Jamwal.